Camping with kids at Raven Rock State Park in North Carolina
This spring, we decided to take our four kids on a little camping adventure at Raven Rock State Park for two nights. We had never been there before, so we were super excited to see what it had in store for us! The campground is set up in a nice loop with tons of tent spots and a few cozy cabins sprinkled in. It was so peaceful and felt really safe—once the gates shut for the night, the kids rode their scooters around the loop like they owned the place. The family-friendly vibe was just perfect!
We picked a campsite that was conveniently close to the bathrooms, which was a lifesaver for those late-night trips! Speaking of the bathrooms, they were surprisingly clean and modern—definitely a win in our book when it comes to camping!
We rolled in late Friday afternoon and took our time setting up camp. We usually get the kids involved in the setup process to keep them busy, and honestly, they love it! After that, we got a fire going and made dinner. We kept it easy with hot dogs, brats, and, of course, s'mores. Once the sun dipped below the trees, it was lights out for the kids, while my husband and I enjoyed some quiet time by the fire. We knew we’d need our sleep because those early-rising kiddos would be up with the sunrise!
The next day was all about hiking. We had granola bars and fruit for breakfast and then made our way to the visitor’s center. There’s a short 20-minute trail from the campground to the center, but we chose the quick option and drove the five minutes to the parking lot instead. We hit the Raven Rock Loop Trail, which is a 2.6-mile round trip. It’s pretty cool because you can hike down some stairs to the base of Raven Rock or check out the lookout at the top. Our family spent about 3-4 hours on this loop, taking plenty of water and snack breaks along the way. I loved that the trail felt super family-friendly, though I kept a close eye on the kids near the Cape Fear River. Other than that, it felt safe for our little ones (ages 4-8).
After our hike, we got back to camp early afternoon for lunch and some much-needed downtime. The kids were in their element, playing in the woods around our campsite and even started building a rock structure that looked like a turtle! They were so proud and wanted to leave it for the next campers. The area around our tent was nice and flat, so we could easily see them while they played—made my mama heart happy to see them adventuring nearby!
Before dinner, we took a quick hike from the campground to the visitor’s center. We collect pins for each state park we visit, so we had to snag some while we were there! They also had displays about Raven Rock and the Cape Fear River, complete with fun facts about the local wildlife. After our little stop, it was back to camp for dinner and then off to bed.
On our way home the next morning, we made a pit stop at Front Street Coffee in Lillington for some caffeine. Lillington looked like such a cute town! We didn’t have time to explore it, but we definitely enjoyed our coffee fix from Front Street. All in all, it was a fantastic trip that we’ll remember for a long time!